Opening Channels
by Starath
Summary: Once long ago Starath borrowed G1 Megatron's fusion cannon, and now he wants it back... The sequel to Changing Channels has arrived!


Opening Channels

By: Starath

Note:  _This is just a silly thing I started writing after reading waaay too many TF comic books. This fic is in the realm of "Changing Channels", an adventure that set up the context for this sequel. PLEASE don't take this very seriously, I realize two characters may be acting out of character but it's for humor purposes, plus I don't know very much about them anyway. ; Ooo, and special thanks to onslaught86 and Shinobi for helping me with this! Finally, I own myself, HASBRO and Mainframe Entertainment own the Beast Wars, but I honestly don't know who owns the Generation One bots. Whoever you are, the credit is all to you, please don't sue me!_

He heard the squeal from halfway across the base. It would terrify anyone who didn't know its source, but he was used to it. It happened every time she got hyper. However, he wasn't used to what she said afterwards.

"_I wanna go meet Megatron!"_

Megatron nearly fell out of his throne. He caught the chair's arm and hauled himself upright. The Predacon leader looked in confusion at the hallway where a bouncing squeaking femme was emerging. _What does she--? _Her next words clarified things completely.

"And Starscream and Ravage and Bumblebee and maybe even Optimus Prime! That'd be so slaggin' _cool!_"

Starath didn't notice when a couple of plastic-encased comic books fell out of her arms and onto the floor. She was hugging so many they easily slipped free. With another squeal she dumped the rest onto the ground in a hasty pile and ran over to Megatron in the center of the command room. Jumping off the deckway she hovered next to him and clasped her hands together in front of big shiny blue optics.

"Please, Megatron? Can I go see Megatron? Please please please? I promise I'll be good! I'll only squeal a little!"

He sighed with learned patience and kept his gaze on his viewing globe. "No."

"Please? I wanna go see him! It'd be so cool! Maybe we could be friends!"

"No."

"And—And he's so cool! And Screamer is too! And I wanna pet the kitty! I bet Soundwave would let me if I asked really nicely!"

"No."

"Maybe if I brought some energon they'd know I'm not there to hurt them! I'll just watch what they do and stuff! I bet the Contructicons could teach me technical stuff!"

"No."

"It'll be so much fun! I wanna bake cookies for Optimus Prime! I bet he could find some way to eat them, even with his mask thingy! He's such a cool guy! All I'd have to do is open a portal—"

"No."

Starath's enthusiasm finally simmered down. She pouted. "Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I said so."

"Oh but whyyyyy?" She whined.

Megatron gave her a weary look. "Why do you think?"

"Optimus doesn't like cookies?"

"No… Can you still recall what happened the _last_ time you decided to go visit a Megatron? You were nearly stepped on." He said, referring to the adventure they shared when she went to the Transformers Energon universe to go see the Megatron there.

"That's cuz he was grouchy. I could tell. Besides, Cyclonus liked me. And that one Battle Ravage."

"You confused the living daylights out of them all, Starath."

She grinned mischievously. "That's always half the fun…"

"You aren't going to go see Megatron."

"Why, wouldn't _you_ like to see him? He's your ancestor and namesake after all."

Megatron cleared his throat and shifted in his chair. "Yes, well, it still wouldn't be wise. He's ruthless and not nearly as patient with hyper individuals like I am. Nor are the rest of the Decepticons. And the Autobots have enough to worry about, they don't need any weird distractions from you either."

"Yeah but I still have his fusion cannon. You keep telling me I should give it back…."

"If he wants it bad enough he'll come get it himself. The answer is still no. You have work to do anyway. Get to it."

Starath let out a dejected sigh and floated back onto the deckway. "Fine, fine." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Geez Megs, sometimes you're no fun."

He gave her an arrogant smile. "I try my best."

Starath paused by the hallway entrance to pick up all the shiny new comic books she'd just finished reading. She was still buzzed and giggled as she went back to her quarters, gazing at the cover of the comic book on top of the pile. The drawing of Generation One Megatron stared back at her blankly. _Maybe some other time, Megs…_ Terrorsaur met her halfway down the hall.

"Hey Sis, there's a Maximal transmission for you. From Rhinox. He says they're done, whatever 'they' are." He eyed the stack of comic books she had pressed to her side. "What are you up to now?"

"Oh…" She grinned. "Nothing. Just planning for the future. Just in case."

In the Generation One Transformer world

"Shockwave, is it complete?" Megatron demanded without preamble as he strolled into the small room, with arms crossed over his chest. He surveyed the odd-looking contraption in the middle of the floor. It was almost to his waist in height, a box-shaped thing with wires coming out and bent back in. A strange energy field coursed through the wires. It looked like a mess but according to Shockwave it should do what he wanted and that was the only thing that mattered. He realized that the Autobots must be worried since he'd been quiet for so long. They could stay worried. He had something to do that had waited long enough.

"Affirmative, Megatron, it is ready." Droned the purple Decepticon, typing away at a console.

"I would hope, with as much time as you spent on this, that it _does_ work." Snapped Megatron, moving to stand behind him. "My patience has grown thin."

"I have done what I can, this in itself is a near impossibility, breaking through realities. There was nothing to go on but the energy fields detected when the girl appeared here—"

"Do not tell me what I already know! Is it ready for full operation or not?"

Shockwave paused. "Yes."

"Good, then let's—"

"But…"

"Now what?"

"I may be able to get you through initially but returning… may be difficult."

"Explain."

"The trip will have to be timed. I will break through again after a specified time. Otherwise you cannot return on your own."

Megatron was about to reply when a jeering voice came from just inside the doorjamb.

"And then mighty Megatron will be trapped forever all alone in a different reality? How _sad_." Starscream smirked, pushing away from leaning against the wall to walk towards them. He eyed Shockwave's invention. "It would be a… pity… if anything happened to that machine."

The Decepticon leader scowled at him, but then smiled. "Oh, don't worry about that."

"And why shouldn't I?"

"Because you're coming with me. That way we can get trapped in the Pit together."

Starscream didn't bother to hide his displeasure. "Wonderful…"

Megatron turned back to Shockwave. "Two megacycles should be plenty of time since I'll have to find the girl first."

"Affirmative. Entering reality coordinates now." He quickly typed in some data. The wired box on the floor hummed and glowed with life. "Matching energy wavelengths." Blue sparks arched between two prongs on the top with increasing speed until a full blue beam formed. After a moment the beam shot forwards and created a shimmering curtain of light.

"You should be in the vicinity of the energy wavelength's origin when you emerge on the other side." Shockwave said over the crackling hum of the machine. "I will retrieve you two megacycles from now."

"Good." Very pleased, Megatron stepped up to the reality entrance and gestured at Starscream. He was no fool to try this trip first. "You can lead this time."

The Seeker warily looked at the entrance. "I… I believe _you_ should go first, almighty leader…"

Megatron grabbed his arm and threw him in. "Oh, but I _insist!_"

"Wha—? Aiiieeee!" Starscream hit the entrance and phased through instantly. Seeing that his 'loyal' second-in-command wasn't vaporized, Megatron took a breath and stepped through.

The first thing he noticed after coming through the to the other side (besides Starscream lying in a grumbling heap on the ground), was how… tight… the place was that he now stood in. The floor was soft. They were in a hallway. To his left was a room; to his right was another room. He spotted some shelving where small robotic figures stood, which puzzled him. The first thing he heard was a low rumbling voice that gave him a shudder, which puzzled him further.

"I have summoned you here for a purpose…"

Well, it annoyed him, actually. Megatron liked knowing what was going on but didn't right now, and at the moment his energon holding tanks were giving him a queasy sensation that annoyed him even further. Plus his head felt as if Rumble had been pounding on it for two weeks. Starscream looked rather ill as well when he finally managed to arise. The attempt to break through realities had been successful but with unpleasant complications.

"Oh, the dragon! That is SO not fair!"

"Mwahahaha… you knew I had him but you didn't know when I'd use him!"

"Oh yeah? Well take this!"

"Gah! The Swords of Revealing Light? Curse your magic cards!"

"And now you're bound down for three turns Megs, I'll get you now!"

Megatron motioned for Starscream to stay quiet as they started walking down the hallway. There was a large room just ahead of him and he raised his arm to use his fusion cannon just in case. Behind him he heard Starscream's null-gun click as it charged up. When he stepped into the room the sight before him confused him completely. There was a couch and a table in front of it. A strawberry-blonde young woman sat on the floor at the table facing the couch. But that wasn't what confused him. Judging from the interior of the room he could tell he was inside a human home. _How could we possibly fit in HERE? _He wondered, turning his gaze at the occupant on the couch, who had his back to them. He was a purple, copper and black colored _Transformer_.

"What the—?" Squawked Starscream involuntarily, just as confused as his leader. The girl's head immediately jerked up and she stared over the Transformer's shoulder. Her dark blue eyes grew round.

"Holy… freakin'… slag…"

"What?" The Transformer asked, turning around. With a gasp he dropped a handful of cards.

For a long, still moment they just stared at each other. The Decepticons recovered first and Megatron raised his arm to level his fusion cannon at them.

"Ha! I've found you girl, now I want that cannon you took from m—"

A high-pitch squeal filled his audios.

"_Yeeeeeeeeeeee!_"

"OW!" G1 Megatron quickly covered his audios while his mental Rumble started pounding on his head again. "Cease that racket, human!"

The squeal stopped but non-stop chatter instantly replaced it.

"Omigosh you're finally here! I can't believe it! This is so COOL! And Starscream too! Heeeeee! Yay! I've always wanted to meet you two! This is going to be SO much fun! Can I go see Soundwave too? And Ravage? Please—MPH!"

BW Megatron clamped his hand on Starath's mouth. "Stop it. You're confusing them."

She bounced and tried talking over his hand while he sheepishly looked to the Decepticons.

"My apologies, she tends to get excited easily—"

"I don't care! I want my fusion cannon NOW!" G1 Megatron aimed his cannon at them again, this time with a dull glow in the interior of the barrel.

"Eeep!" Starath hid behind her leader and peeked around his leg. BW Megatron held his hands up defensively.

"Eh heh, now now, there's no need for that…"

"Yeah, your cannon's over there!" The girl pointed to a corner by the closet where the fusion cannon stood, covered in dust. "I haven't used it since I got it from you to borrow it. I just hadn't given it back yet. And please no shooting in the house. I don't wanna have to explain to my mom where big holes in the walls came from."

G1 Megatron glared at her. "How dare you tell _me_ what to do!"

"Well, it's true! She'd be so mad!"

"You have more IMPORTANT things to worry about, human scum." He kept his aim trained on her when he walked over to the spare cannon and tossed it into his sub-space pocket. "Now, explain why we can fit within your home. Quickly!"

"Cuz I have a G1-size reconfigurer set up in this area." Starath said matter-a-factly, as if it were obvious. "It senses incoming Decepticon and Autobots energy signatures and automatically reconfigures sizes so they're more appropriate for the environment. Thank Primus Rhinox finished them the other day," she added under her breath.

"And you…" Starscream approached BW Megatron, also with his arm up ready to fire. "What are you doing with a human? Are you an Autobot?"

"Primus, no! I'm a Predacon. A descendant of yours." He gave a slight bow towards the Decepticon leader. "I chose my name to be yours, Megatron. I admire you so. It is an honor to meet you. And this is Starath. She's a Predacon too."

Although intrigued, G1 Megatron didn't move from his offensive stance. "You speak nonsense. No human can be a Transformer."

"Yeah huh!" She stepped out from behind her boss and shifted to her robot self. Her blue optics sparkled when she grinned at them. "See?"

"What…?" G1 Megatron shook his head in disbelief and immediately regretted it. The energon in his holding tanks lurched and gurgled. He started to fall forwards, feeling very ill. _Blast that trip's side effects! Ugh…_

"Megatron!" BW Megatron ran to his namesake and caught him before he hit the ground.

"Unhand m—Argh…" He didn't want to but sagged into the Predacon's arms and allowed him to lead him to the couch.

"Here, you'd better sit down."

He didn't give further protest when he sank down onto the couch.

"Don't think this changes anyth… ugh… what did you say your name was? Megatron? Named after me? How could that be?"

While BW Megatron explained the Beast Wars timeline to the original Megatron, Starath cautiously approached Starscream.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" he demanded, trying to look tough, but failed when he wobbled.

"Cuz you look like you're gunna puke."

"Huh?"

"Seriously, you look sick…"

"Oh. The trip here must've messed with my systems." He leaned against the hallway wall for leverage and just about slipped down to the ground.

"Oh dear. I think you'd better lie down. Come on." Starath took Starscream's hand and started to lead him back down the hall to where he and G1 Megatron had appeared. She gently pulled him to the left, into her bedroom and indicated a squishy-looking structure in the middle of the room. "My bed can handle Depth Charge sitting on it so it should hold up for you too. Go on, it won't bite."

Starscream didn't wait for a second invitation, not bothering to wonder who Depth Charge was. He turned sideways to get through the doorway and flopped down on the bed. Covering his optics with a hand, he willed the energon in his holding tanks to calm down. "Ohhh… I feel like Prime punched me in the gut, slaggit."

"You said it was because of the trip here?" she asked, sitting on the floor just in front of the door, watching him.

"Yes. I got to be the guinea pig when Megatron threw me in the reality entrance, the idiot. I hope he feels worse than I do."

"_I heard that!" _Came a roar from the living room.

"GOOD!" Starscream yelled back, then squinted his optics shut when his head throbbed. "Oww…"

"Aaaw, you poor guys. Just rest a little bit, you'll feel better."

"Yeah." After a moment, he felt steady enough to sit up and did so. "So you're a Transformer too? A new kind that can become human?"

"No, I was a human first and became a bot through a lot of stuff that would take way too long to explain now. In this world, though, Transformers don't really exist. They're just made up. On TV and in comic books. That's—"

"That's how you knew who we were."

Starath grinned at him. "Exactly. I'd just finished reading a bunch of comic books the other day and wanted to see you guys, actually. Guess my wish came true. Heh, you wouldn't believe how many fangirls are after you, Screamer."

"Fangirls?" He stared at her.

"You're one of the most popular Transformers. The ladies especially like you."

He couldn't help smirking. "Oh really? Ready and willing to do my bidding?" He automatically started plotting.

"Well… Not in the ways you'd probably like them to… I mean, they _like_ you. Obsessively."

That killed the plotting processes. "Oh." A pause. "…Are you one of them?"

Starath laughed and stood up, going to the headboard of her bed where numerous Transformer toys lined the shelves. "Sort of. I agree you're kinda cute but that's about it." She picked a toy jet off the top shelf and showed it to him. "Does this look familiar?"

"Hey, that's me!" The toy easily fit in the palm of his hand. "Does it transform too?"

"Yep." She started to transform it while she talked. "I love jets, so you're a favorite for sure. Behind you there's some other jets too. That black one is also named Starscream, and so is that grey and red one. He's one of your namesakes. And that grey and orange one is named after Thundercracker. Ah, there we go!" She held up the miniature Starscream. "It's mini-you! Aren't you cute?"

"Heh heh!" Thoroughly amused, he took the toy and scanned the shelves. "Do you have Megatron too?"

"Nope. His toy is always very rare or expensive. Even the remakes. The only reason I have you is cuz my friend got the toy for me. All I have is two of his namesakes." She pointed to the Transmetal Megatron toy and the red dragon standing on the top shelf.

"Slag. Some... 'play fighting' would have been fun. Aw well." Starscream took great care placing his toy back on the shelf. He was alert and energetic now after learning he had fans and his very own toy. That kind of knowledge did wonders for the ego.

"Anyway," Starath chirped happily, "I'm gunna go see what the Megatrons are doing. Wanna come?"

_WHY did I tell Shockwave I needed two megacycles_? G1 Megatron asked himself again, tuning out his younger namesake who _would not shut up_. If he still didn't feel so sick he'd have shoved his fusion cannon into the bot's mouth and blasted his head off. But again he reminded himself that he hadn't expected to find the girl so slagging soon. All that he had learned in the past hour made his CPU hurt, which compounded on the hammering in his head that he already had from the trip here. Alternate universes? Humans that can become robots? He was just someone on a TV show, along with Optimus Prime and everyone else? There was a lot to sort through and understand, but he couldn't handle it right now.

"So what do you think of my plan? Do you think it will succeed? Would you be willing to assist with the destruction of the Maximals?" BW Megatron pleaded at him with longing optics, the kind of look little children gave their heroes. At first it was very flattering, and this young Transformer was brilliant and had great ideas, but the flattery had long worn off by the 247th question.

"I'll think about it." Luckily the Decepticon had found out that the answer satisfied BW Megatron. Until he thought of another question.

"I've been thinking about building a Destructo-Ray to shoot the Maximals with, using a bipolar energon source. It hasn't been done before, and do you think—"

"Sure. You have my blessing."

"Oh, really? Thank you!"

A cheerful voice interrupted further questioning. "Hi Megs!"

By reflex both of them turned around. Starath backed off, embarrassed. "Oops, I mean my Megs, not you, Sir Megatron. I wouldn't call you 'Megs'."

"Oh?" G1 Megatron fixed her with a piercing gaze. "Why?"

"Cuz you deserve more formality than that, uh, Sir."

He narrowed his optics and decided that this odd human-Transformer mixture wasn't as useless as he'd previously thought. He saw Starscream coming up behind her.

"Why don't _you_ give me that formality, Starscream?"

He scoffed. "Because _I_ don't think you deserve it."

G1 Megatron was about to yell at him when Starath elbowed the Seeker in the side and scolded for him. "Be nice!"

"—Oof, hey, you don't have to put up with him like I do!"

"Yeah but he has to put up with you too." Starath bounded back up to the couch.

"Are you two getting along? Are you feeling any better yet?" She aimed that question at G1 Megatron.

Glancing at BW Megatron, he flinched at the ever-so-eager expression the Predacon wore. He gave Starscream a _please get me out of here _look, which he returned with a _why should I help YOU? _look. He growled and started to arise, but thought better of it when the room tilted sideways, and sat back down on the couch.

"A little, yes."

"Gee, doesn't look like it to _me_," Starscream jeered. He gurgled when a pillow bounced off his head. Starath glared at him.

"That's not fair. You got to lie down, he didn't, so be quiet."

"Hmph!" Crossing his arms, he stalked around the corner and into the kitchen. Sighing, Starath rested her arms on the back of the couch in between the two Megatrons.

"My brother Terrorsaur is just like him. Ya just gotta know what to chuck at the head to make them go away."

"Oh?" asked G1 Megatron, amused.

"Indeed," agreed BW Megatron, nodding. "He's my equivalent of Starscream. Though I prefer more blunt objects."

"I see."

"Hey, uh, Sir Megatron… Can I try on your helmet?"

He stared at her, caught off guard by the out-of-nowhere question. "No."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I said no."

"Please? Are you just afraid of showing us your helmet hair?"

"WHAT?"

"Would a can opener help get it off?"

BW Megatron cleared his throat, getting Starath's attention as the Decepticon's face turned red with a fury about to be unleashed. "Go into the kitchen and make sure Starscream doesn't break anything."

"Okay!" She squeaked and skipped into the kitchen.

G1 Megatron watched her go. When his anger subsided he managed to ask, "Is she always that strange?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

Starath floated into the room, hovering just above the floor because she liked using her aerial jets. She flitted next to Starscream, who was standing in front of the refrigerator with the door hanging wide open. He looked very confused. He had a red shiny apple in his hand and kept rolling it in his palm. When he noticed her beside him, he held up the apple.

"What's this?"

"It's an apple. It's human food."

He rolled it over in his palm again. "How do you eat something without edges?"

"Huh?"

"Like energon."

"Oh," Starath giggled. "You just bite into it and swallow. That's all. All human food works like that."

"You eat human food, and energon?"

"Yep. It's habit, really, but I also have a beast mode that likes organic food too."

"A beast mode?" Starscream put the apple back in the refrigerator and closed the door. He moved to a cupboard and opened it cautiously.

"Yeah. Instead of a vehicle mode I have a beast mode. If we go outside I could show you."

"Okay." He pulled out a round, flattened can out of the cupboard. "Is this human food too?"

"Yes…. That would be a can of tuna. It's a fish and—_Starscream!_"

The can creaked and squished as he chewed. When he swallowed there was a dull _thud_ inside his torso. Surprised by the good taste, he promptly shoved the rest of the can in his mouth and swallowed it down too. "What?"

"You're not supposed to… The can is… oh, never mind." Starath put her face in her hand and sighed. "It didn't hurt you, did it?"

"No." Starscream turned back to the cupboard. "Do you have more of this 'tuna'?"

"Yes, but _no_, you can't have anymore. The last thing I need is to explain to my parents where twenty cans of tuna went." She grabbed onto his arm and hauled him to the back door. "Let's go outside."

"But—" He tried to grab for the tuna and missed. For someone so small Starath was unexpectedly strong and he couldn't resist being pulled backwards to the door.

"My tuna!" He wailed.

She rolled her optics. "Geez, and they say _I'm_ weird…"

A few minutes later Starscream and Starath were both airborne a hundred feet above her home. The Decepticon wasn't very impressed with her pterodactyl beast mode, asserting that his jet vehicle mode was _far_ superior to any earth animal, living or dead. This ruffled some of Starath's feathers—figuratively, of course, for she had none—so she did a front-flip to transform back to robot mode and hovered in front of him with her arms crossed.

"In 'bot mode I can out-fly anything, and I'm willing to bet that includes you too!" She challenged. Starscream laughed, shaking his head.

"You couldn't beat me! No one can, not even the great Megatron."

She pointed to the red top of a water tower about half a mile away. "You wanna prove it?"

"I can and _will!_" He thought for a moment. "Shall we make a wager? When I win, I get your cans of tuna."

"Sure, whatever… And if _I_ win… Ooo, you have to give me a ride in your jet mode!"

He grinned at the ridiculousness of the situation; surely she didn't expect to win! But he was in a good mood so he allowed her the privilege of hope. "Agreed."

"Alright." Starath took a stance similar to that of a runner. "On three!"

Starscream did the same. He took a quick glance at her, then shouted "THREE!" and punched his jets on maximum.

"HEY! That's CHEATING!"

"You said 'On three'!" He cackled, already well ahead of her.

And then something odd happened. He hit a barrier of some kind that felt as if he were passing through a spider's web. At first he faltered, backing off from the unseen force, but Starath was gaining on him so he pushed against it and broke through. When he did a loud _pop_ filled his audios—and he became his full size again. As a result the thrust of his jets multiplied exponentially back to normal power and Starath, who was close behind him, was struck by the exhaust and went tumbling backwards through the sky. She managed to regain control just before hitting the ground. After gently landing she sighed in relief, but the moment was short lived when a huge shadow fell over her and she was faced with a BIG problem.

"Oh crap…." She stared open-mouthed at Starscream and was frozen in place when he bent down to pick her up by her flightpack. The shock of leaving the ground triggered instant flailing and screaming. "—EEEP! Put me down! Put me DOWN!"

"Still think you can beat me?" He asked with an impossibly arrogant smirk, holding her up so they were face-to-face.

"Alright, alright! I forfeit! You win!" Starath eventually realized that flailing was useless and hung limp, sheepishly grinning. "Uh… this is going to sound really absurd, but could you PLEASE put me down? I'm afraid of heights, and…"

"Oh really?" He started flying higher up. "Is this better?"

"Gah! NO!" She smacked her forehead with her palm. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! WRONG 'bot to tell that to! Aiiiyaaahh…" She sighed. "Well, at least I know where the boundary to the G1-size reconfigurer is…Primus help me if Megatron finds out…"

"Are we high enough for you yet?" Starscream interrupted her.

"Yes! We are plenty high!"

"I didn't think so…."

"SCREAMER!" Starath growled at him and tried to swing a punch into his nose. "I'm going to kick you in the shin for this!"

"I'm not very concerned."

"Yeah, you wouldn't be, would you? Hey, I can see my house from h—WHAT am I saying? Slaggit!" She swung again but he held her just out of range of striking anything important. "Argh! You're not helping!" Undaunted, she kicked out and managed to bop him on the nose. "There! See how you like that!"

The kick didn't hurt but annoyed him enough to drop her into an open hand where he poked her. "Feisty thing, aren't you?"

"—Eep! No poking!" Starath scooted away from the finger but it followed her. "Careful! I bite!" she warned. The look he gave her said he wasn't at all worried, so she huffed and sulked. "You know, the shows and comics just don't do you guys justice. You're friggin' HUGE." She took a glance down and nearly turned green when she saw how high up they were. "Geez!"

Starscream grinned, taking pleasure in her discomfort. "High enough yet?"

"Yes—I mean NO!"

"No?"

"_Starscream!_"

He frowned and looked down to the ground. Starath hadn't said that, someone else had. He grimaced when he saw Megatron standing in the backyard with the younger Megatron, looking furious. Then he realized that his leader was still in the size-reconfiguring field, so he was absolutely tiny and powerless standing there… just the way Starscream liked him.

"_Get down here NOW!"_

Starath watched the Seeker's face and guessed at what he might be thinking. "Don't try to shoot him, the field protects the house from weapons-fire too."

"…Slag." With a disappointed sigh he flew back to the earth, letting Starath slip off his palm as he passed through the field that returned him to less than a third of his true height. G1 Megatron must have been feeling much better because he immediately started demanding answers.

"What were you two doing out there? How were you able to become your rightful size, Starscream? What did you have to do? Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"Uh…" Starath looked to Starscream and the two traded glances, silently agreeing not to tell him anything important. "It was… magic."

"Magic? Don't give me that nonsense!"

"Uh, well, technology could be considered magic to some people," Starath offered, but wilted under the Decepticon's glare. "We had a race and I lost, that's all. He was just showing me what things looked like from his point of view."

"Ah, yes, the race!" Starscream poked her in the side. "You owe me that tuna."

"—Eep! Oh, yeah, right!" Starath backed off but before running to the house, she promptly kicked him in the shin. "That's for scaring me!"

"Ow! You little—" By the time he went to grab her she was already gone.

Sensing G1 Megatron's optics on him, he regained composure and detoured the subject of the size-reconfiguring field with his most convincing sneer. "And why have you come out here, mighty Megatron? Are you feeling better?"

"Well enough to take _you_ out if you keep trying my patience. According to my chronometer Shockwave will open the reality entrance within 2.6667 cycles."

"Do you know where?"

"If I did, I wouldn't be out here, would I? I'd leave you here!"

Before Starscream could reply, BW Megatron, looking very unhappy, asked, "Will you ever return?"

"…I'll think about it."

The jangling of cans announced Starath's return. She handed a plastic bag to Starscream. "There you go, all the tuna you could want!"

In reality all of it amounted to less than a mouthful while in his real size, but he eagerly took the bag anyway and put it in his subspace pocket with a grin. G1 Megatron gave him an odd look, then shook his head and didn't care to understand. He then noticed Starath standing in front of him, smiling timidly.

"It was very nice to meet you Sir, I'm sorry you got sick on your way here, maybe next time will be better? If you get bored or need a break you can come back. "

"Um…" He saw BW Megatron's optics light up when she said 'come back' and suppressed a shudder. He used the same response that seemed to work for the eager Predacon. "I'll think about it."

"Okay!" She chirped and bounded up to Starscream. "It was cool to meet you too, Screamer!"

He wasn't sure what 'cool' referred to, so he assumed it was something good with the way she was smiling at him. "You're welcome to lose another race against me anytime!"

"You're on!"

G1 Megatron's sensors alerted him to an energy disturbance coming from about twenty feet away. He watched in anticipation for a blue shimmering curtain of light to appear. Within a few seconds it did, widening across the sky and ground until it was large enough for them to go through. _Finally! _

"Starscream, let's go!" Although he dreaded feeling like a sick drone again, he wanted to leave this place much more than he cared about getting ill. But he couldn't resist a departing threat or two with a shaken fist for emphasis.

"You were lucky I was only after my cannon today, human! Next time, _I_ will have the upper hand! Ahahahaha, hahaha—AACK!"

Starscream pulled his hand free of the reality entrance that he'd just shoved his leader into. Ignoring the furious yell and massive _thud_ from the other side, he turned back to Starath and Megatron.

"Tell my adoring fans I say hello, would you?"

Starath laughed, waving. "Will do!"

With a wink he disappeared and the light curtain faded out. Starath heaved a big huge sigh and leaned against her leader.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it? It was fun!"

"Indeed, though I wish Megatron could have stayed longer…"

"You went all-out fanboy on G1 Megs, didn't you?" She demanded as they walked back to the house.

"What? Me? No…"

"Yes you did! That look he gave you is the same one you give _me_ when I've acted like a total fangirl towards you! You freaked him out, didn't you?"

"I did not!"

"Do you think we should be worried about the time he comes back?"

"Knowing him… most likely."

_To be continued, again, someday…_


End file.
